dropping the rudder

[Fulvio]

With the boat out of the water, I'm fixing to do a bunch of work.  I already found a wealth of info here on Cutless bearings, stuffing boxes, couplings, props, etc.  which helped me get the shaft out of the coupling flange, pull the Cutless, getting almost killed by a flying prop that would only budge after cranking a wheel puller very hard ...
However, I had a hell of a time getting the shaft past the rudder, even with lots of grease.  I eventually made it, but I seriously doubt I will be able to put it back in, without damaging the new Cutless.  So I will probably have to drop the rudder after all.

That's the only information I could not find anywhere (tech notes, FAQs, message board, etc).  I assume it's pretty easy, but my question is:  how heavy is the rudder?  Can one person alone support it while it's being released, and slowly lower it, or it is too heavy?

Thanks

Fulvio Casali
Seattle WA
Soliton
#929 (1989)

[Ted Pounds]

Fulvio,

The way to put the shaft back in is to insert it through the strut, then press in the cutless bearing.  If you put the shaft in before the cutless bearing you'll find you have more than enough room to get around the rudder.  I used 1 inch washers and bar clamps to press my new bearing in.  Others have made special clamps to press in the bearing while the shaft is in.   :cool:   By the way,  to drop the rudder you have to have the boat lifted up or dig a hole beneath the rudder.  Also you might consider having your yard do the bearing replacement.  After I sweated through mine I found out my yard would do the job for $60 plus the cost of the bearing.  It's an easy job for them because they have the right tools and can do the complete  job without removing the shaft.

Ted

Ted

[Fulvio]

Ron, you are probably right, my shaft might not have been clean enough.

I did eventually get the Cutless installed without dropping the rudder, but it was very, very tight.  After a couple hours of DIY pounding, I asked the yard for help.  Their guy used a slide hammer and some serious pounding, which made me very nervous, but apparently didn't cause any damage to the strut.  Oh well, now I have a new prop, new Cutless and new dripless stuffing box.  It hasn't been exactly a walk in the park - I would rate the following parts of the job to be the toughest:  1) removing old Cutless, 2) pushing shaft out of coupling flange, 3) reinstalling Cutless, 4) pulling shaft out past rudder.

My shaft is stainless steel already, BTW.

Fulvio Casali
Seattle WA
Soliton
#929 (1989)